NBA Preview (Portland-Indiana)
Posted: Fri February 27, 1998 at 9:00 a.m EST
Portland (33-22) at Indiana (38-17) 7:00 pm EST
The Portland Trail
Blazers look for their second straight victory over a Central Division
power when they head to Indiana to face the suddenly slumping Pacers.
Damon
Stoudamire had 24 points and 11 assists and Isaiah Rider
scored 22 as Portland surprised the Chicago Bulls, 106-101,
Wednesday night at the United Center.
The Blazers, who have won two straight overall, improved to 14-11 on
the road with the victory. Portland completes its three-game Eastern swing
at Boston on Sunday.
Indiana failed to take advantage of Chicago's loss, losing at home to
the Los Angeles
Lakers, 96-69, to remain 2 1/2 games behind the Bulls. Indiana, which
led the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break, has gone 3-4 in its last
seven games, with two of the losses coming at home.
Rik Smits
scored 19 points and Mark Jackson
added 18 and eight assists for the Pacers, who shot just 36 percent
(32-for-89) from the field. Indiana still needs one win to match last's
season win total (39-43).
Despite losing two of their last three at home, the Pacers still own
the Eastern Conference's second-best home record at 20-6. They are 19-5 at
home against the Trail Blazers.
Portland is looking to complete a season sweep of the Pacers. Rider
scored 15 points and Rasheed
Wallace 14 in the Blazers' 93-85 victory at the Rose Garden on December
10th.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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